MONROVIA, Liberia – Members of the Michigan Air National Guard joined military legal professionals from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria for a weeklong Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program engagement during the first week of September to exchange ideas on the rule of law and maintaining good order and discipline within the armed forces.
The Armed Forces of Liberia, or AFL, welcomed the visiting delegations with a meeting with Maj. Gen. Davidson F. Forleh, AFL chief of staff. Throughout the week, participants visited military units and met with members of Liberia’s legal community, providing additional insight into the country’s military and civilian legal institutions. The AFL also introduced the visiting delegations to Liberian culture and hospitality, including a home-cooked meal hosted by a member of the AFL legal team.
The engagement brought together legal professionals from the Armed Forces of Liberia, the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces, Nigerian Armed Forces and the Michigan Air National Guard. Discussions focused on the administration of justice, military courts-martial, individual rights, due process, professional ethics and the importance of the rule of law at all levels of society, including within the military justice systems.
“The hospitality we experienced and the opportunity to work directly with our African partners gave us a much deeper understanding of their military, legal system and culture,” said Lt. Col. David L. Hunter, 110th Wing staff judge advocate. “These engagements are about more than exchanging legal expertise. They build trust, strengthen relationships and take our partnership to the next level.”
The exchange allowed participants to learn from their counterparts’ experiences while strengthening regional relationships among the participating West African nations and their long-standing partnerships with the United States. Michigan has been partners with Liberia since 2009 and with Sierra Leone since 2024.
“Bringing military legal professionals from across the region together allows us to learn from one another, while strengthening our shared commitment to justice, fairness and good order and discipline,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Palay, AFL judge advocate general. “The relationships developed through these engagements help strengthen our institutions and our partnerships for the future.”
The visit builds on several years of cooperation among military legal professionals from Michigan and West Africa. In 2024, Michigan National Guard judge advocates traveled to Sierra Leone to strengthen professional ties and observe a military court-martial.
In August 2025, legal professionals from Liberia and Sierra Leone traveled to Michigan for a State Partnership Program engagement hosted by the Michigan National Guard. During the visit, participants worked with faculty from the Michigan State University College of Law. They discussed the U.S. criminal justice system, due process, jury trials and emerging challenges facing legal professionals.
The State Partnership Program pairs U.S. states with partner nations to conduct cooperative, mutually beneficial engagements across military, security and civilian sectors. The program supports regional stability, enhances interoperability and builds enduring relationships among partner forces.